It has been a fantastic year. The Aquatic and Fitness Centres were finally completed. Programs in both spaces are up and running, the main oval looks like an oval again and we have had a full year of School events and learning without any disruptions from a pandemic. Looking back, it would be easy to focus on the difficulties but there is also so much to embrace in what has been achieved. While learning at Tara is “core business” it is also the provision of so many other elements of school life that allow Tara girls to embrace everything before them and grow and thrive in an all girls environment, which adds so much to the learning and growth. There is freedom to learn, grow, thrive and work out who you are, and you are going to be in this values rich, Christian environment that allows Tara girls to become the accomplished, confident women we see as they graduate from the School. They know they are equipped and confident to take on any role they choose.

It has been the greatest privilege of my life over the last 15 years, to join with Tara families, and the Teaching and Professional Services Staff at the School to be part of the journey as we have seen so many girls thrive. There have of course been bumpy times for some and for others some huge life events that have been very defining. There has also been much joy and some of my best memories are when I have been fortunate to accompany girls and families though both the fabulous and the difficult times. My favourite ones are the “look at you now” moments we have when I see a girl who has struggled with her learning, life events or has persevered through other challenges and emerges as an impressive young woman.

At Tara, I have very much enjoyed the professional work and care of the staff for Tara girls. I am always impressed with the respect and honour with which everyone speak about the girls and their willingness to go the extra distance in order for a girl to achieve her best. The staff, in all the roles that it takes to be such a great school, work so hard for the good of Tara girls.

The School Council has completed a new Masterplan for our site and there is so much to look forward to in the provision of learning and co-curricular spaces for Tara in the years to come. It will be an exciting time for the School as it goes forward in providing new learning opportunities for Tara young women and the building of facilities to make all these plans come to fruition. While I am sad that retirement for me means that I will not be a part of this next phase of the school, I am so very grateful for being part of this community for the last 15 years and to be part of the team of School Council, School Executive, staff and families where we have enjoyed considerable success. I am grateful to God for the support of community, the love you have for your daughters, and I pray you receive God’s rich blessings. I know I leave the School in good hands with the appointment of Mrs Adele Ramsay who will begin in her role as Principal in the new year.  I pray you enjoy a happy and relaxed Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the hope we have in his life, death and resurrection. Tara and its community will always be in my prayers. 

Please find details below regarding all end of year events across the School.

Saturday 25 November - Carols in the Colonnade
6:00pm

All Welcome - please book your tickets here

Friday 1 December - Farewell Chapel Service for Mrs Susan Middlebrook
8:45am for 9:00am start - Tara Gymnasium

Tara Parents - Please RSVP by 10 November via the link sent by email on 26 October

Monday 4 December - Senior School Celebration (Years 7-10)
8:45am for 9:00am start - Tara Gymnasium

Tara Parents - Those students receiving prizes and presenting at Celebration will be notified by email

Monday 4 December - Junior School Funday Monday and Festive Friends 

Student Event 

Tuesday 5 December - Junior School Celebration 
8:45am for 9:00am start - Tara Gymnasium

Tara Parents - Those students receiving prizes will be notified by email

Wednesday 6 December - Christmas Service (ELC - Year 11)

Student Event

Wednesday 6 December - World Vision Christmas Markets (ELC - Year 11)

Student Event

Wednesday 6 December - Tara's Got Talent (Years 7-11)

Student Event

At Tara, we believe that art is an essential part of a well-rounded education. We are dedicated to nurturing the artistic talents of our students and providing them with a creative and supportive environment. To support this mission, we are seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated Art Smock Specialist to join our team.

The Tara Uniform Shop requires a skilled individual who has sewing expertise and can create art smocks for students in ELC to Year 6. The art smocks will be sold in the Tara Uniform Shop. 

If you are interested or require more information, please contact:

Tara Uniform Shop (02) 883 82646 

Jigna Shroff  jshroff@tara.nsw.edu.au

The uniform shop is open every day from 07:30am -12:00pm and from 1:00pm to 5:00 pm.

Do you have any unused uniform items? Kindly think about contributing them to our second-hand uniform shop. You can to sell them on consignment or donate them to the P&F.

For consignment, ensure all items are in excellent condition, cleaned, pressed, and placed on hangers. If you choose to donate to P&F, simply drop the items off in a bag.

The Tara Uniform Shop will be open Saturday 2 December, 9am to 12pm. 

The Uniform Shop will be closed from 7 December 2023 and will reopen 18 January 2024 from 10am to 4pm. 

Following the exciting announcement of the Tara Hub, we are now seeking nominations from interested members of our community to fill key committee positions. This is a fantastic opportunity to actively contribute to the Tara Hub and play a crucial role in shaping our unified community platform.

The available committee positions are:
Chair
Deputy Chair
Communications Officer
Finance Officer
Events Officer

If you are passionate about fostering a sense of community, supporting our school, and contributing to the success of the Tara Hub, we encourage you to nominate yourself for one of these positions. Nomination forms can be emailed to jdoyle@tara.nsw.edu.au, and the deadline for submission is Tuesday 21 November 2023.

Tara Hub Nomination Form 

We also extend a warm invitation to all community members to attend the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM). The AGM is scheduled for Tuesday 5 December at 7pm in the Bowern Room. This is a significant event where the new Tara Hub Committee will be announced, marking the beginning of an exciting chapter for our community.

We eagerly anticipate your participation and contributions in this transformative journey. Join us at the AGM, and let's collaboratively work towards making the Tara Hub a vibrant and supportive community platform.

The Tara Old Girls' Association are pleased to announce the winner of the Joan Waugh Scholarship for 2023 is Alexandra (Ally) Doubleday - Alumni 2021. 

Alexandra Doubleday is an undergraduate student at Macquarie Uni Department of History and Archaeology. Alexandra is one of two students who have been invited from Macquarie Uni for an upcoming field season at Luxor Egypt. Her involvement will be utilising her archaeological drawing skills to document and record finds within the Theban Tomb project. The Joan Waugh Scholarship will endeavour to cover costs required for flights, accommodation and the most needed drawing equipment required for this project.

This year has provided Year 4 with bountiful memories and plenty of opportunities to enlarge our knowledge. Recently we have learned not only about the art of marketing but have had fun while doing it. Visiting Continental Patisserie was a thrilling learning experience. Year 4 learned about marketing and quality control, while snacking on some of Continental Patisserie’s delicacies.

Year 4's current Unit of Inquiry, UOI 6 is ‘how we organise ourselves’. Throughout this Unit of Inquiry, we learned about the production of jeans and how they were made from cotton. We made our own posters as we inquired into how other products are made, for example, mugs, basketballs and even ballet shoes! 

A visit from Mrs Doubleday and Miss Capolupo from Tara’s Design and Marketing team, helped us understand more about how consumerism is at the centre of production and distribution systems. They also taught us about the important 4 P’s of marketing, ‘product, price, place and promotion.’ This new knowledge helped us promote our very own product ‘Tara Trumps.’ ‘Tara Trumps’ is a card game inspired by Top Trumps. Cards are split into two even piles, one player reads out an Approaches to Learning Skill (ATL’s) or a Learner Profile Attribute. Players share their card’s rating and depending on who has the higher number, that player gets to keep the other players card. This goes on until one player has only one card left, the player with the most cards are the winner. 

Not only are we diving into Tara Trumps during Unit of Inquiry, but we are also working on them in Music, STEM and Art! It has been wonderful working on our marketing skills throughout all areas of the curriculum. In Music we have been working on and creating a unique but catchy jingle. In STEM we have created advertisements to persuade potential buyers to buy our Trumps cards. Finally in Art, we have created our very own eye-catching and divine characters, with individual descriptions and specific Learner Profile Attributes and Approaches to Learning Skills.   

When we went on our excursion to Continental Patisserie, we learned that each role in the production process is equally valuable, as well as quality control being extremely important for a company. If one company makes a mistake it will go on and on like a cycle, affecting the next company. This is called the knock-on effect.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Mr and Mrs Yao for allowing us to see up close a delicious production line in action, and for giving us the knowledge about not only marketing but quality control, distribution systems and more. We would also like to say a big thank you to Miss Poletto and Mrs Grove for organising this fun and exhilarating opportunity for us. We would also like to say a big thank you to the parent volunteers Mrs Cocodia and Mrs Han for joining us on this amazing learning opportunity.

Congratulations to Rachel Z for all her hard work in swimming lessons!

Well Done!

The anticipation is over! We have now opened our squad sessions!

If you have a child or know someone who is at squad level, and are wanting to join Swimming@Tara Squads, please email swimming@tara.nsw.edu.au for more information. 

All students must complete an assessment at the Tara Aquatic Centre prior to joining a squad group. 

We will be finishing on Friday 15 December 2023 and starting back on Monday 8 January 2024.

We will be offering Holiday Intensive in January 2024. The first week of Intensive will begin 8 January and the second week will begin 15 January. You will be able to book your child into Private lessons now. 

Please speak to reception or email us if you are interested.

swimming@tara.nsw.edu.au

We have Safety Week this week in line with the National 'Swimsafer Week' on 20 November to 24 November. All lessons will be in the 25m pool. The Theme is: 'Christmas'. Let’s get into the spirit and get those Christmas outfits out to wear in the water for safety week! 

This week the students will learn the skills and knowledge that they need to be safe and have fun in and around the water. It develops essential safety skills and improves children’s knowledge of how to survive in the water if they fall into a pool, off a boat, into a river, dam, or any body of water. Skills such as safety jumps, survival strokes and other skills but most importantly to know how to be safe and have fun in and around the water. 

Please revise over the terms and conditions in your parent portal as they have been updated. 

We are accepting Active Kids and First Lap vouchers.

To use them in our program, please forward the details to swimming@tara.nsw.edu.au with your child’s details

The Kindergarten to Year 2 Intensive Swimming Program is well underway. Students are taking part in a 40-minute swimming lesson each day over the course of two weeks under the instruction of Swimming@Tara staff. For the first time this important program is taking place in the Tara Aquatic Centre. Students are enjoying learning in this fantastic facility only a short walk from their classrooms. This program is designed to assist improving each students swimming ability. It is helping to develop their confidence, enjoyment, skill and safety in and around water.

Students in Year 6 participated in a Learn to Row program last week during their designated PE time. It was a small taste tester for the girls to experience the workings of the boats, how they move (in a very creative way!) as well as the rowing machines. They arrived open minded and courageously tried all activities, most of which were new to them. Thank you to Mr Smith and Mr Board and the rowing team for sharing your expertise with us. 

Bethany S (Year 6) recently competed at the State Gymnastics Championships where she received a Gold medal ranking for Level 4 and ranked 8th in the State. Congratulations Bethany!

Our Tara Gymnastics Team competed at the IPSHA Gymnastics Carnival held at Sydney Gymnastics and Aquatic Centre on November 2. These gymnasts have been training hard for this carnival since Term 2. Congratulations to both girls and coaches for achieving some outstanding results.  A big thank you to Michelle Oakley and Rachel Weiner and their coaching staff for preparing these girls so well. 

Artistic Gymnastic Team Results 
Level 1 7th – Divanya M, Anneliese M, Yolanda M, Diya M, Sophia J 
Level 2 1st - Vellesca M, Sarah S, Chloe T, Madeleine M, Cellena M
Level 3 1st - Matilda A, Ava C, Sofia C, Harper Y, Neve K
Level 4 1st - Gabriella M, Celine T, Paru S, Tiana G, Mirna I
Level 5 - Elizabeth B, Eloise R, Bethany S, Linda H

Artistic Individual results 
Vault – L3  - Neve K 1st , Matilda A 2nd , L4 - Tiana G 1st 
Bars – L2 – Madeleine 1st, Cellena 2nd, L3 – Neve K 4th, L4 Paru 1st, Mirna 4th
Beam – L2 – Vellesca 1st, Chloe T 3rd, L3 – Ava C 1st, L4 Mirna 4th 
Floor – L2 – Chloe T 3rd, L3 – Ava C and Harper 4th, L4 – Celine 1st 

Rhythmic Gymnasts 
Foundation 1 – 2nd  Olivia L Olivia Z Oviya S Sophia M Chloe H Isabella P
Foundation 2 – 1st Jessica R Celine Z Annobelle S Hannah X Lin Lin W Gabriella M
Level 4 – Gloria H 2nd in Ribbon and 1st in Clubs

At the conclusion of Term 3, all students in ELC to Year 6 participated in the final carnival for the year, the Gymnastics Carnival. Students enjoyed taking part in the different rhythmic and artistic activities throughout the day while our competition gymnasts displayed a tremendous amount of skill on different apparatus. Congratulations to our Champions and Runners Up for 2023. 

Artistic Novice Champion: Neve K
Artistic Novice Runner Up: Harper Y
Artistic Advanced Champion: Linda H
Artistic Advanced Runner Up: Mirna I
Rhythmic Novice Champion: Celine Z
Rhythmic Novice Runner Up: Hannah X
Rhythmic Advanced Champion: Gloria H
House Champion: Waugh

On Friday 10 November, a group of students from Year 10 attended the YACI Skin Cancer Symposium at the Westmead Institute of Medical Research. 

In the first session, students listened to two keynote addresses. Dr Ali Azimi provided an introduction to Melanoma and cancer biology. This was followed by a presentation by Professor Linda Martin, the Director of Dermatology Services at the Melanoma Institute of Australia and a paediatric dermatology staff specialist. She spoke about the dermatology of melanoma, and discussed initiatives aimed at reducing the incidence of skin cancer in Australia. 

After morning tea, students took part in breakout sessions. One session involved touring some of the laboratories. In another session, students were tasked with identifying the different types of skin cancer shown in images from their descriptions. They also learned about each type of cancer. The third session focused on pathology. The students viewed images of microscope slides showing some of the changes in skin cancer cells. Throughout these workshops, students also had the opportunity to talk to the presenters and find out about their career in medical research. 

The last part of the day consisted of question and answer panels. The first panel was made up of a multidisciplinary team supporting skin cancer patients. This was another opportunity to find out about careers in the field of health and medicine. The second panel consisted of people who had gone through skin cancer treatment. They discussed their experience and advocated for continued research into melanoma treatment. 

The symposium provided our students with a window into medical research and some of the associated career pathways. 

Congratulations to Ella and Sara of Year 11 for their recent success in the iGEM competition. Ella and Sara recently graduated from Future Project. This program, which runs at The King’s School, offers students an opportunity to work on real science projects, in partnership with industry and various institutions. 

Ella and Sara were part of a team of 21 students from Tara, The King’s School and Loreto Normanhurst. Their industry partner was HydGene Renewables, a company involved in synthetic biology. The group’s project involved genetically modifying a type of bacteria, E.Coli, to address some of the environmental issues associated with the use of chemical fertilisers. The modified bacteria can fix nitrogen. They can convert the nitrogen in the air into a form that plants can take up. This technology has the potential to greatly reduce the use of chemical fertilisers. 

The team’s project was entered into the iGEM competition. This is a worldwide synthetic Biology competition involving high schools, university and commercial teams. The Future Project team was the only Australian High School group to enter the competition. The judging took place last week and the team was awarded a Gold Medal. This is a huge achievement. 

Radha - Year 12, Class of 2024 

On 3 November, I went to Parliament House to participate in the Constitutional Convention among 120 other students. It was an enriching event where students from all across New South Wales were invited to listen to a keynote speech from Professor Twohey, an expert in the field of Constitutional Reform. Following the lecture, we were then spilt into discussion groups where we were asked to debate topics surrounding constitutional reform and methods of achieving such. We then reconvened to report on what consensus our groups came to. Overall, the event was educational and incredibly enriching.

History came alive in a vibrant display of intellect and enthusiasm at the Years 9 and 10 History Mastermind Competition, proudly supported by the History Teachers Association of NSW (HTANSW). The event, brought together 26 schools, 73 teams, and over 350 students, transforming a regular day into a thrilling quest for historical knowledge.

Students engaged in a battle of wits through four intense trivia rounds. The competition wasn't just about showcasing academic prowess; it was a celebration of the love for history that unites students from diverse backgrounds.

Tara Teams made a strong presence with four teams, supported by additional helpers who contributed to the smooth functioning of the event. The diversity of questions challenged participants on various aspects of history, ranging from ancient civilisations to modern geopolitical events.

Intermediate fun activities provided a breather between the intense rounds. "Who Am I?" and the Flags of the World guessing game added a playful touch to the event, allowing students to showcase their knowledge in a more relaxed setting.

Following a well-deserved lunch break, the top four teams of each grade battled it out in the Semi-Finals. Tensions ran high as the finalists competed for the coveted first-place title. In the end, it was St Aloysius College that emerged victorious, clinching first place in both Years 9 and 10.

On 13 October, 8 girls went on a trip to Brisbane for FPS (Future Problem Solving) Nationals. We congratulate Angelique L, Ellie H, Lara W and Mia C from Year 9 and Agatha H, Eden W, Ella J and Nicole W from Year 8 for qualifying for the National Finals. We also thank Mrs Nguyen and Miss Jung for giving up their time to accompany these students.  

Future Problem Solving, or FPS, is a challenging, exciting and interesting program where your creativity and ability to think long term is extremely important. FPS is centred around problem solving, critical thinking and collaboration. This year at Tara, we had 9 teams compete in the Global Issues Problem Solving competition where each team is given a Future Scene of a Global Issue. We identify the problems, underlying issues, generate solutions and decide the best course of action to solve these problems. It is a mix of many different subjects and involves a wide range of categories.

The competition was held at Brisbane Grammar School, and it involved two aspects. For the period of two hours, the girls competed in teams of 4, working on their GIPS Booklet to find issues and solutions for the Future Scene, related to Throw Away Society. Students are encouraged to brainstorm futuristic solutions to combat the modern issue of sustainability. Well done to all the girls who participated in this academic program. 

The girls also received letters of affirmation from last year’s team who attended the National Finals. We thank the Senior team for taking the time to write these.  

If you are in Years 7 or 8 and are interested in participating in this academic program, please contact Mrs Nguyen or the FPS Captain, Anika V, this week. Please note that this program is most suited to students who are committed, organised with their time, enjoy team work and keen to doing drama skits. 

In Term 2, Year 9 undertook a service learning initiative to engage and educate the Senior School in activities for Reconciliation and NAIDOC Weeks. As a part of this initiative, they collected second hand dresses from the school community to donate to the Desert Beauty event. This event was designed to celebrate women and girls in Ngaanyatjarra Land in Central Australia by providing them with the opportunity to dress up in formal dresses and have their hair, nails, and makeup done. It has been reported that the community had a great time participating in the Desert Beauty event and they are thankful for the efforts of Tara girls in supporting this initiative. The attached photos have been sent to us to share the success of the event.

Congratulations to Year 7 students Olivia and Livia for their recent success in the VEX IQ Robotic NSW Middle School State Championship! Their team received the esteemed ‘Design Award’ and have secured a spot in the upcoming National Competition! This accomplishment follows their earlier success at the James Ruse Robotics tournament, where they were honoured with the prestigious ‘Excellence Award’!

Jane Napier - Food Technology & Hospitality Assistant

A very big thank you to the lovely Year 9 girls and 3 Senior helpers, who volunteered to join our Dignity Dishes cook last Tuesday.

These students give up their time after school once a fortnight to help prepare dishes for the less fortunate who may go without a meal, something we all take for granted.

65 dishes were prepared and packed this week in under an hour! Great work everyone!

Under the guidance of Mrs Cropper, the girls gain the understanding of kindness and compassion for others, something they can take with them beyond their time here at Tara. 

What a great Term for competitions! Our Tara Gymnastics results at the Regional Challenge were amazing with girls placing across all levels. A special mention to Linda H, Bethany S, Mirna I, Eloise R, Neve K and Matilda A for placing in the top 3 overall in their level.

We also had Level 4 State Championships. Our girls ended up ranking 4th overall as a team and a special mention to Bethany S who received a gold medal ranking.

We then had our Club Championships. Huge congratulations to the following girls for ranking the highest from Tara in their levels. Evelyn N (Level 2), Chloe T (Level 3), Bethany S (Level 4) and Linda H (Level 5).

We are so proud of all the girls and their consistent hard work throughout the year. Bring on 2024!!

Angelina H - Touch Football Captain

Round 4
S03 Tara 1 vs MLC 1, Loss, 2-3
S07 Tara 2 vs Wenona 5, Win, 6-2
S12 Tara 3 vs Roseville 5, Win, 5-4
J04 Tara 4 vs Brigidine 11, Loss, 4-5
J10 Tara 5 vs Brigidine 16, Win, 4-1

Round 5
S03 Tara 1 vs Pymble 2, Draw, 2-2
S07 Tara 2 vs Meriden 3, Draw, 2-2
S12 Tara 3 vs Brigidine 8, Win, 6-1
J04 Tara 4 vs MLC 4, Loss, 2-6
J10 Tara 5 vs Roseville 10, Win, 5-1

Skye A - Water Polo Captain

Round 4
S05 Tara 1 vs Pymble 2, Win, 12-1
S07 Tara 2 vs Ravenswood 2, Loss, 2-24
J05 Tara 3 vs SCEGGS 3, Loss, 4-11
Y703 Tara 4 vs St Catherine’s 8, Loss, 3-15

Round 5
S05 Tara 1 vs Monte 2, Win, 8-4
S07 Tara 2 vs Wenona 3, Loss, 8-16
J05 Tara 3 vs Santa Sabina 2, Loss, 6-11
Y703 Tara 4 vs MLC 3, Loss, 1-15

Diya H - Tennis Captain

Round 4
S12 Tara 1 vs Loreto Normanhurst 8, Win, 4-0
J09 Tara 2 vs St Scholastica’s 5, Loss, 3-5
J12 Tara 3 vs MLC 10, Loss, 0.5-7.5
Y703 Tara 4 vs Danebank 5, Win, 5.5-2.5
Y705 Tara 5 vs Roseville 22, Win, 3.5-4.5
Y706 Tara 6 vs Ascham 16, Loss, 3.5-4.5

Round 5
S12 Tara 1 vs Loreto Kirribilli 9, Loss, 3.5-4.5
J09 Tara 2 vs Wenona 16, Loss, 3.5-5.5
J12 Tara 3 vs Meriden 4, Loss, 2.5-5.5
Y703 Tara 4 vs Monte 13, Win, 8-0
Y705 Tara 5 vs Monte 15, Win, 4.5-3.5
Y706 Tara 6 vs PLC Sydney 9, Loss, 1.5-6.5

Aoling Z - Badminton Captain

Round 4
S01 Tara 1 vs Meriden 3, Loss, 2-3
S02 Tara 2 vs MLC 1, Loss, 0-5
S04 Tara 3 vs Kincoppal Rose Bay 1, Loss, 1-4
S05 Tara 4 vs Meriden 7, Loss, 0-5
J01 Tara 5 vs Meriden 11, Loss, 2-3
J02 Tara 6 vs Danebank, Win, 4-1
J03 Tara 7 vs Kincoppal Rose Bay, Win, 5-0
J03 Tara 8 vs Meriden 17, Loss, 0-5
J04 Tara 9 vs Meriden 18, Win, 4-1
J05 Tara 10 vs St Scholastica’s 2, friendly
J05 Tara 11 vs Kincoppal Rose Bay 6, Win, 5-0
Y701 Tara 12 vs Meriden 22, Win, 4-1
Y702 Tara 13 vs Meriden 23, Loss, 1-4
Y703 Tara 14 vs MLC, 10, Win, 5-0
Y703 Tara 15 vs Danebank 16, Loss, 2-3

Round 5
S01 Tara 1 vs Meriden 2, Win, 3-2
S02 Tara 2 vs Meriden 4, Loss, 0-5
S04 Tara 3 vs Danebank 5, friendly
S05 Tara 4 vs Kambala 4, Loss, 2-3
J01 Tara 5 vs Meriden 12, Win, 3-2
J02 Tara 6 vs Meriden 14, Loss, 2-3
J03 Tara 7 vs Meriden 15, Loss, 2-3
J03 Tara 8 vs Meriden 16, Loss, 2-3
J04 Tara 9 vs Kincoppal Rose Bay 5, Win, 3-2
J05 Tara 10 vs Kincoppal Rose Bay 6, Win, 5-0
J05 Tara 11 vs Meriden 19, Loss, 1-4
Y701 Tara 12 vs Tara 13, Win, 4-1
Y702 Tara 13 vs Tara 12, Loss, 1-4
Y703 Tara 14 vs Meriden 27, Loss, 2-3
Y703 Tara 15 vs MLC 10, Win, 5-0

Angelina H - Softball Captain

Week 2
This week the Tara softball team played to a super effort, winning the game. There were many good plays, even a double play by the Tara team where two girls on the opposing team got caught out followed by a run out. The girls took many risks and played smart on the field in stealing bases and successfully getting home. Sophia R (Year 11) played in the pitcher position, successfully getting two girls out through a strike out, which is quite a remarkable feat. Special congratulations to the team for their first win and we look forward to seeing more amazing games like this! 

Week 3
This week the softball team did really good base running and batting, and it was evident that they had practiced stealing bases in training as this was done really well. Anika V from Year 10 played first base and got many good tags in as well as a double play, leading the team to a victorious win against Barker 2 at Oxley College 7-6. 

Skye A - Sport Prefect 

Water Polo:
Tara's Water Polo teams have eagerly stepped into the new season working hard at trainings and games. Throughout this term, the girls have loved training in our new aquatic centre facility. The trainings are based on two sessions, Tuesday is for skills and drills whilst Thursday is for game practice so we can put the skills we have learnt into practice ready for Saturday.  

There is noticeable improvement in teamwork displayed in our water polo teams this year. The Senior firsts have won 5/5 games hoping to go the entire season undefeated!    

Touch Football: 
Touch Football has been huge fun this term, with many girls stepping up in all of the five teams. The Senior first team has come up against great competition, learning new skills and sets in which build up our speed, endurance and teamwork. Furthermore, the Junior teams have developed strong arrows sets in driving up the field which had led them to score some amazing tries in games.

Softball:
The softball team has been one of taking risks, learning from high level players as well as applying these newly learnt skills to their games. The Tara softball team played against grade A level and state rep pitchers, giving them a great experience to develop their own batting, fielding and base running skills and implementing these in their games. Although there has not been great successes with the scores, it is amazing to see how far each girl has come in their softball skills.

Tennis: 
Tennis has been thriving among all teams, thanks to the combination of team bonding, skill enhancement, and exploration of new aspects of the game! Witnessing the flourishing enthusiasm and sense of accomplishment in all the girls as they take pride in their sport is truly heartening. The Tara tennis teams persistently demonstrate ongoing improvement and dedication during their Saturday Sport Matches against different schools. While the outcomes varied with some teams securing victories and others facing losses, the common thread is the unwavering commitment of all players to give their best, striving to enjoy the games and have fun in the process.

Badminton:
Nearing the conclusion of this term's badminton season prompts acknowledgment on disciplined play and commendable sportsmanship. Students have approached each match with a sense of purpose and enthusiasm with their teammates and inter-school peers. There is noticeable improvement in skill of footwork and game sense in strategising for all teams- with many teams able to independently take their own leads when building off coach advice. In this, we have seen a development in their exertion as individuals as well as their spirit as a collective team.  We extend appreciation to staff and students for their commitment to badminton this term- recognizing the shared devotion in fostering an environment conducive to our student's growth in badminton skills and communication. 

Rowing:
The Tara Rowing squad is a little over a month into training for the competitive season and we have already had heaps of extraordinary results. Beginning the season strong with the Sydney Girls High Regatta, the squad earned one 3rd place, and two 2nd place finishes. This was a wonderful regatta for the Year 7 girls’ first ever races and the debut Tara VIII (competitively coming off the racks for the first time in 5 years, and racing for the first time in 11 years at the Sydney International Regatta Centre). I commend all our newest rowers on giving it a red-hot go, the debut VIII crew and all the other rowers on their performances in the first regatta of the season. We followed that, with the next weekend being the inaugural Sister’s Bay Cup Regatta with our shed mates PLC Sydney, which followed the model of many other prestigious boat races such as the Gemini Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge University. We congratulate all rowers on their efforts, especially the VIII who won by a considerable margin in the potential decider; and look forward to bringing home the cup in 2024. Thank you to Aidan and Ben for organising this alongside Will (Head Coach at PLC). Our second round of selections have also taken place in week 5 and I would like to congratulate the girls on their fantastic results. Not only did we have majority of the squad posting personal bests, but many long-standing scores have also been broken on the ergs. This is a massive testament to the work the rowers have been putting in at training – keep up the good work girls. Most recently, we have had a very successful MLC Regatta. With 57% of our races being podium finishes and 5 gold medals coming home, it’s safe to say the rowers have been reaping the rewards of all their hard work.   

The FOTR have also been hard at work, ensuring that the spectator’s tent is fully stocked for hungry rowers and spectators at SIRC regattas so we would love to have you support us if you happen to have a weekend free. The rowing squad have certainly had a great start to the season, and we can’t wait to see how much more silverware we can bring home!   

Suhanya J - Rowing Captain

Tara rowing has had a highly successful race day at the MLC School Regatta, held 11 November. The girls battled the sweltering heat (the rowers are sporting some cracking sunburns and zootie tans!), increasingly choppy water conditions and some fierce competition this weekend.   

Out of the 37 races that Tara participated in, we had 28 crews place! An outstanding testament to the training the girls have been putting in on the water, in the gym, and on the ergs.  

• 8 crews came 4th  
• 13 crews came 3rd  
• 2 crews came 2nd  
• 5 crews came 1st 

A special congratulations to the girls who won their races:  

• Year 9 4x+ - Nicole J (Year 8), Evie B (Year 8), Reeta L (Year 8), Charlotte G (Year 8)  
• Year 10 1x+ - Olivia B (Year 9)  
• Year 10 1x+ - Amy R (Year 9) 
• Year 9 1x+ - Kelly L (Year 8)  
• Year 9 1x+ - Reeta L (Year 8) 

Congratulations to the entire squad and thank you to all the coaches who supported us.

Meg B - Artistic Gymnastics Captain and Janice Y - Rhythmic Gymnastics Captain

On Friday 3 November, our girls had the opportunity to compete at the annual IGSA Gymnastics competition, held at PLC Sydney and Abbotsleigh. We had many girls compete, coming out of the competition with great success across all levels. It was a great day filled with much excitement and determination from all the Tara competitors. All the gymnasts are commended for their incredible performance. Tara was awarded Most Improved School, placing 4th overall, which is a major improvement from last year and a great testament to the hard work all the girls have put in. Additionally, we placed 4th overall as a school for Artistic gymnastics, and 7th overall for Rhythmic gymnastics. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and long hours put in by the Tara gymnastics coaches and sports staff; we acknowledge and thank their commitment to the girls and their support that has guided our girls to success. 

Artistic Gymnastics Overview 
The Artistic gymnasts competed very well, demonstrating all the skills they have developed over the past few terms. We had many girls place within the top five across the different apparatus. Congratulations to the following girls: 

Level 4: 
Orla A (Year 8): 2nd place bars, 3rd place vault, 3rd place floor 
Piper W (Year 8): 3rd place bars 

Level 5: 
Victoria H (Year 7): 4th place floor 
Alisha S (Year 8): 4th place bars 
Abigail R (Year 9): 4th place vault 
Amarlie S (Year 9): 2nd place beam 

Level 6: 
Veronika A (Year 10): 1st place beam, 3rd place bars 

Rhythmic Gymnastics Overview 
Tara’s Rhythmic gymnasts performed their routines amazingly, displaying their hard work over the last few terms. All of our girls placed in the top five within their respective categories, which is a wonderful achievement. Here are some of the outstanding results: 

Level 4:  
Lily J (Year 7): 2nd place freehand, 3rd place hoop, 5th place ribbon 
Cindy C (Year 8): 3rd place freehand, 4th place ribbon 

Level 5: 
Zoe W (Year 7): 3rd place freehand, 5th place hoop, 5th place clubs 
Lucinda P (Year 9): 4th place hoop 

Level 6: 
Janice Y (Year 11): 5th place freehand, 3rd place ball, 5th place ribbon 

Congratulations to all girls who competed on this day, your efforts don’t go unnoticed. 

All girls in Years 7-12 are encouraged to read this newsletter every week on the Canvas Careers page.

There are some great events and opportunities coming up! Learn more about them via the links below. 

Careers Newsletter -  16 November 2023

For more information please contact Mr David Berridge via email - dberridge@tara.nsw.edu.au